Earthdawn 4E: Anatomy of a Thread Item 45 - Dwoemerswift

This is the forty-fifth 4E Anatomy of a Thread Item, an ongoing series about Earthdawn Fourth Edition. Introduction and Index.

Everything contained here is the work of a fan and not associated with FASA Games.

A thread item written for an online game I offered to help with thread items. This was written with the requests of initiative reduction seeming time-related effects from casting spells. This was a special request because the character was actually creating it, so I worked directly with the player.

Time-related magic is a fuzzy thing in Earthdawn, so I went with abilities that can be interpreted in a few ways, but no direct explanation for how they function. The player was happy with the result, whcih is what really counts in the end.


Dwoemerswift

Maximum Threads: 1
Mystic Defense: 12

Legend Point Cost: Journeyman

The russet scales of this wyvern skin armor have highlights of burnished gold and the edges of each scale are trimmed with orichalcum. Exceptional craftsmanship can be seen throughout, though it is undecorated and a functional design. When a thread is attached, the True air woven into the armor interacts with True water, causing the wearer’s form to occasionally shimmer, as though disconnected from time for a brief instant.

Thread Rank One
Key Knowledge: The owner must learn the armor's Name.
Effect: The armor is now Initiative Penalty 2.

Thread Rank Two
Effect: The wearer gains the Dwoemerswift ability. As a Simple action for 1 Strain, the orichalcum glows a coppery red, revealing the patterns it forms throughout the armor. The wearer’s next successful Spellcasting test gains the benefit of an additional success. If the additional success increases duration, it is two additional successes.

Thread Rank Three
Key Knowledge: The owner must learn where the True elements used in the armor's creation were harvested.
Effect: The armor is now Initiative Penalty 1.

Thread Rank Four
Effect: As a Simple action for 1 Strain after Dwoemerswift affects a spell, the air surrounding the wearer grows thick as everything immediately around them slows, giving the wearer more time to respond to attacks. The wearer gains +2 to Avoid Blow tests until the end of the next round.

Thread Rank Five
Key Knowledge: The owner must learn where the wyvern was killed.
Effect: The wearer gains +1 Recovery Test per day.

Thread Rank Six
Effect: As a Simple action for 1 Strain after Dwoemerswift ability affects a spell, the wearer gains a preternatural awareness of attacks around them. The wearer can use Avoid Blow against Blindsided and Surprise attacks until the end of the next round.